For the past 18 years, having a Pac-10 or Pac-12 team in the Sun Bowl has been a near constant.

Now, that partnership is set to continue to the next decade.

On Monday, the Sun Bowl Association announced an agreement with the conference that will continue to send a No. 4 selection to El Paso for the New Year's Eve game for six years, beginning in 2014 and running through 2019. That amounts to a renewal, as the Sun Bowl has been getting the Pac-12's No. 4 selection for the past three years and will again this year.

The Sun Bowl expects to finalize an agreement with "another Bowl Championship Series conference" to provide the opponent for the Pac-12 team in the next few weeks.

REPORTER

Bret Bloomquist

The Pac-12 did not have a bowl-eligible team for the Sun Bowl in the 2010 game that ended up featuring Notre Dame against Miami. But other than that year, a team from that conference has been in the Sun Bowl since 1995.

"We have a strong relationship. We are really excited to continue that relationship," Sun Bowl Association president Walker Crowson said. "They've been a great partner for us."

"The Pac-12 looks forward to continuing our relationship with the Sun Bowl, that outside of the Rose Bowl, has stretched longer than any other bowl game," Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said. "Our teams thoroughly enjoy the hospitality and overall experience provided by the Sun Bowl and El Paso community. Maintaining our partnership with the Sun Bowl provides another quality postseason matchup for the Conference, and adds to an already strong lineup of bowl games for years to come."

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As for the opponent, the "Bowl Championship Series conference" implies it will be from the Big 12, Big 10, ACC or SEC. The current contract, which goes through this year's game, is with with a No. 3 pick from the ACC.

Pac-12 teams have combined for a total of 29 appearances in the Hyundai Sun Bowl for an overall record of 16-12-1, including a 10-7 record over the last 18 years.

Bret Bloomquist may be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; 546-6359. Follow him on Twitter @bretbloomquist

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